Carabus coriaceus

Leather Beetle ( Carabus coriaceus )

The Leather Beetle ( Carabus coriaceus ) is a species of the family of beetles.

Features

As one of the largest ground beetle species in Central Europe, leather beetles can be 30 to 40 millimeters long. The chitin armor is black and wrinkled on the elytra. Note the large upper jaw pliers. At the middle pair of legs a few rust-colored bristles are visible.

Subspecies

• Carabus coriaceus cerisyi Dejean, 1826
• Carabus coriaceus coriaceus Linnaeus, 1758
• Carabus coriaceus excavatus Charpentier, 1825
• Carabus coriaceus children manni Waltl, 1838
• Carabus coriaceus mediterraneus Born, 1906
• Carabus coriaceus rugifer ( Kraatz, 1877)

Way of life

The flightless, nocturnal animals hunt in the forest soil insects, snails, worms and carrion, sometimes they go to fruit. During the day the beetles hide under moss and stones, very rarely they can also be observed during the day. In danger but from glands on the abdomen of a foul-smelling liquid from. The larvae pupate in the soil after several molts. From them then slips the finished beetles. It makes one generation per year, which can be found from August to September. The beetles live about two to three years.

Dissemination

Leather beetles are widely used in Europe, where they are mostly to be found in deciduous and mixed forests. Leather beetles are in Germany under protection.